Faeries of Sherwood
by Nyala Necheyev
Summary: Robin Hood meets a band of faeries in Sherwood, with whom he forms a pact that makes the two bands allies. But when Little John disappears and the Sheriff doesn't have him, Robin must go to war with the evil Wind Faeries to get him back.
1. Chapter 1

**Faeries of Sherwood**

_by_

_Emony and Haddi Stein_

**Chapter One**

**The Faery Contract**

Robin of Locksley, AKA Robin Hood, woke up to the sound of his friend and hunting partner "Little" John – the nickname was clearly a misnomer, the dark-haired, burly giant being at least six feet tall, if not seven. Robin opened his blue eyes and laid there for a while, staring up at the cloudy England sky, laced across with the oaken and ash boughs of the tall trees that made up Sherwood Forest.

Finally deciding to get up, Robin gave Little John a clearly annoyed glance before he got to his feet with a small groan. Wandering over to a small spring nearby, Robin splashed his face with the clear, cold water, drinking some as it doused his light brown hair and beard. _Ahh_, he thought to himself, _that felt good._

Innocently moving on a bit further from the tiny campsite, Robin stopped suddenly as a small, star-like flash caught the corner of his eye.

Blossom smiled as she fluttered through the dew-laden grass. Her vibrantly bright pink hair danced softly across her bare shoulders. She was out on a mission to collect herbs for the large water drop that her best friend and fellow doctor, Silverberry, had given her.

She stopped in surprise as she caught sight of the Humans. _What are they doing in Pixie Hollow?_ She wondered to herself as she wiped her hands on her filmy knee-high dress. Her neon green eyes widened in fear as she noticed that one of the giants was coming toward her. In an attempt to run she banged into a odd weed. She gasped as she realized that this was no ordinary weed. It was a Sprinting Thistle! She rushed in the opposite direction as it started running wildly about the earth, fulfilling its condemning name. She didn't notice until it was too late that she was running in the direction of the Humans' camp!

As the little spark of light fled away from him, and then in his direction, Robin reached out and caught it in mid-air with the reflexes of a superb archer. Looking at what he'd caught in his fist, his dark eyebrows rose upward to see that he was clutching a tiny Human being!

"Well, hello, there," he said, smiling cheerfully as he loosened his grip slightly so the fairy could get comfortable, "You must be a fairy. I didn't know they were in Sherwood!"

Blossom gasped. "Let me go!" She tried to push her way out of the Human's hand, but failed. "And this isn't Sherwood Forest."

She found that her efforts were useless. The only way to escape was if the Human lessened the strength on her waist. She sighed. _I might as well look as innocent as I can._ She forced herself to grin.

"Hi!" She plainly greeted him. _Would you mind letting me go so that I can go and tend the leg of that Tinker fairy who got shot by a Sprinting Thistle? _"What's your name?"

"I'm Robin Hood," the outlaw replied pleasantly, opening his hand and letting Blossom sit on it comfortably, "And what might your name be?"

Robin had to confess to himself that he was glad John was still asleep, snoring like a bull. Just think what that giant's face would do to this poor thing, who looked already jittery as it were!

Blossom groaned. "Head Doctor Blossom," She answered, "Come on... I'll take you to Queen Clarian."

She picked up her green bag that contained three half-leaves of mint. She picked up four strips of Lamb's Ear and pushed it carefully into the leaf bag. "This way."

She led him to the Sprinting Path. The grass made her look smaller than she really was. She quickly took flight, knowing that the path was a common place for Wind Fairies to attack innocent wayfliers. The Wind Fairies attack all the Garden Fairies that were out late and forced them to be their doctors and Blossom would rather not have that happen.

Robin followed her dubiously, then paused. He shouldn't run off and leave John alone, asleep.

"Wait a moment," he called to her, and quickly trotted back to the camp site, where he woke up John. "John! John, wake up."

The tall man awoke with a grunt. "What is it?"

"It's morning, and I've met someone who is very … interesting," Robin explained vaguely.

"Interesting?" John asked in disdain, "Oh, come on, Robin, not all girls are trustworthy as Marian and Djaq -"

"No, no," Robin rolled his eyes, "Not that kind of girl. She's too... small for my tastes. Anyway, she's not even … Never mind. She's taking me to meet someone, and I wanted you to know why I was gone."

"Robin," John asked suspiciously, getting to his feet, "What aren't you telling me?"

"Nothing!" Robin insisted, "I'll be back in a few minutes, alright?"

John glowered for a moment, then replied, "You'd better be."

"Thanks, chap," Robin said with a grin and a pat on the giant's immensely muscled shoulder before hurrying back to the tiny path where Blossom was waiting.

"I'm back," he told her, "Let's go. By the way... Could you explain to me who Queen Clarian is?"

Blossom was still amazed at Robin's friend. _He looks like a dwarf compared to him, s_he thought. "Okay," she smiled. _Thank the child's first laugh that that monster isn't coming. I can't believe he gave him a name!_

"Queen Clarian is the fairy queen, of course," she laughed, "Living this close to Pixie Hollow, I am surprised you don't know about her!"

As they entered the main town, all the fairies stopped their work and stared at Robin. "Who is that?" a voice came. "I don't know," replied another, "Maybe a over-grown dwarf!"

Blossom just ignored these statements from her fellow fairies and stepped up to a glowing fountain. She waved to a young fairy down below. "Tarin!" she grinned. "Come here!"

A young boy rushed up to the duo.

"Blossom!" he grinned as he pushed some dark blond hair out of his eyes and and placed his acorn-top hat back on his head, "Who is this?" he asked, "Do you need me to summon Queen Clarian?"

Blossom nodded. "Yup, and this is Robin Woodie or whatever your name is," she introduced the two young men.

Tarin nodded his greeting. "One moment."

Just then, two spheres of glowing pixie dust collided like a supernova, and merged together in order to form a beautiful, dainty woman who glowed with all the power of midnight magic.

"And who might this tall, tall creature be?" Queen Clarian asked of the young doctor.

"Excuse me, madam," Robin spoke up, taking a courtly bow in Clarian's direction, "My name is Robin _Hood_," he sent a stabbing look in Blossom's direction before continuing, "Formerly Robin of Locksley, now leader of the band of humans who live in this forest, milady."

Blossom blushed. _Whoopsy! _She thought, _I messed up again. _She could hear Tarin chuckling in the background. She sent him a piercing glare which made him shut up.

Queen Clarian nodded. "Ahhhh..." She replied, "I see. Well, welcome to Pixie Hollow." She slowly moved forward to get a better look at Robin. She could see her loosely bound hair, encircled with a golden crown, in the tips of his arrows, which sat inside a leather quiver that was peeking over Robin's left shoulder. "What do you bring those for?" she asked.

"To defend myself with, milady," Robin explained politely, "I and my band are not the only intruders into this forest. There is also another, greater evil that often invades the lives of the innocent, which drove many to join me as outlaws in Sherwood Forest. We fight this evil by stopping tax collectors on the road through the forest, and robbing the rich to feed the poor."

After he had said that, Robin paused and allowed the fairy queen to speak. He thought he had summed up his band's mission quite nicely, and hopefully in terms that a fairy could understand.

Queen Clarian nodded. "I see." She rose to eye level. "I am assuming that Sherwood Forest is was you call Pixies' Wood?" she guessed. "But, what does this part of 'robbing the rich to feed the poor' mean?" she asked, "Is it to rob food to feed the poor whom have none?"

Blossom didn't understand a thing Robin said. She just guessed that he was a great hero. But ... that part about robbing the robbed to feed the robbed she had no clue what it meant. "Tarin," she whispered in her best friend's ear, "What did he say?"

Tarin just shrugged. "How am I to know?" he asked, "It was too wordy." He turned back to Blossom and added, "I only understood one line or two. I make the three hundred or so sentences," He grinned as Blossom rolled her eyes, "I win!"

"That's the theory, yes," Robin told the tiny queen, "And, if I might say so, you and your people would be wonderful allies to our cause."

_Always the slick one, always seeing opportunities and taking them, right? Well, Robin, that's why they gave you the fancy title and the village of Locksley._

Queen Clarian nodded her head and once again she answered, "I see." She thought for a moment then shook her head. "We are all ready fighting a war of our own," she sighed, "I am sorry."

Blossom sighed. "Respectfully, Queen Clarian," she interrupted, "But, wouldn't an ally like these guys be good?"

Queen Clarian took this into account. "Interesting," she nodded, "What war are you fighting and how do you think we could help?"

"Well," Robin replied, "For starters, you could be able to give us information that people would not speak of freely unless they didn't suspect someone was listening in. Your people, of course, are so small, no one would ever see you unless they were looking for you. Secondly, you could warn us when the Sheriff's men are traipsing through the forest in our direction. Third, you would make excellent spies.

"In return, my band could protect you from the other Humans' knowledge, and assist you in whatever way we can."

Queen Clarian nodded."I agree," she smiled, "But, with us being so small and you being so large, how can we sign an agreement?"

Blossom smiled. "I know! I know!" she rushed forward, "Shake hands!" she grinned, "You've got witnesses!" She thought once again. "But it would be a shake for a fairy, granted...." she trailed off, "Or Robin could write down a thing on a piece of paper and we could sign it!"

Queen Clarian didn't roll her eyes, but just laughed at the young fairy's ideas. "I think that we should just carve it on to the Pixie Hollow," she offered, "I shall write it, I guess."

"That sounds reasonable," Robin consented politely. After all, fairies were powerful people, and all of the tales he had heard had always warned not to mess with fairies, as their tempers were something of legend. Beautiful and dainty they may be, but once roused, they were a thing to be reckoned with.

Queen Clarian grinned. "Good."

She flew over to a large tree and formed a ball of Pixie Dust in her hand. She tossed it onto the tree forming the words to the agreement. "There." She tossed another sphere of light and her name appeared in small letters. "Would you rather carve your name?"

Blossom grinned. She loved to watch agreements being formed. "Coooool....." she muttered under her breath. This was an interesting agreement indeed.

Robin knelt by the tree, pulled out his hunting knife, and neatly carved his name next to Queen Clarian's –_ Robin Hood. _Once that was done, he stood back up, sheathing his knife, and smiled at Queen Clarian.

"Begging your pardon, but I must be getting back now, your highness," he told the tiny winged monarch, "Duty calls."

The Fairy Queen smiled back. "I understand." she answered, "Blossom, show him the way out of Pixie Hollow," she ordered the field doctor, "Take that Tinker Fairy friend of yours with you, please." she turned back to Robin, "It has been a pleasure making friends, but now I must go tell the others of the agreement." She turned back into the spheres of pixie dust and flew off.

Blossom rolled her eyes. "Not fair..." she mumbled under her breath. She dashed over the fields and collected her friend. She soon was on the trail to the Human's encampment, Robin trailing behind.

Blossom's friend, Buster, grinned. "Finally, adventure!" he sighed. Turning to Robin he asked, "So, are you gonna tell your friends about the agreement thingy?"

"Of course I am," Robin replied as they drew nearer, "Granted, they might not believe me at first, but thats why I'll need you fairies to visit our camp sometime." Once they had reached the little camp he had set up with Little John, he called, "John!"

No answer. Taking another look at the camp, Robin noticed that the fireplace had been kicked through, and the animals they had killed stolen.

"Oh, no..." he muttered to himself before frantically yelling, "John!" Surely the sheriff's men hadn't been able to over-power _him_!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

**One Of Our Men Is Missing**

Blossom didn't know what to do. She remembered that John was the BIG guy. "I don't see him!" She yelled back to Robin.

Buster thought for a moment. "Could this be just a big prank or something?" he asked, "I mean, what could have happened?"

"The sheriff must have gotten him," Robin explained, "He'd never leave without me. They must have ganged up on him, maybe five, six of them all at once."

His mind racing, Robin reached the inevitable conclusion. "I've got to get back to the band," he told them, "I can make my own way from here – you two go on back to the Hollow."

Blossom gave a fake laugh. "No way." She stamped her foot on thin air. "If he has been captured, you are going to need us!"

Buster nodded. "We could send word through the animals!" he concluded, flying up to a bird's nest. "Yo, birdie," he caught the bird's attention, "Go tell Fawn to warn the Tinker fairies that this John guy was captured. He is Robin's friend."

The bird chirped understandingly. She flew off, leaving a content Buster behind. Flying down, he yelled, "ALL DONE!!!"

"Thank you," Robin told him, "Now, I have got to go back to camp. You two need to go back – I'm not ready to tell my men about this contract yet."

"Wait a minute," Blossom rushed forward, "We are at the camp!" She frowned. "Plus, they don't know we even exist. They won't see us," she grinned, "Plus, we can distract the guards once we get to rescuing."

Buster held up his hands. "Wait a minute," he interrupted Blossom, "We are to distract a guard?" He frowned as he crossed his arms. "I ain't nobody's distracting beacon."

"I don't care!" Blossom yelled, "Let Robin decide." She turned back to Robin. "You decide, but I ain't goin' home just yet! It is our duty to help!"

"But that's not your job yet," Robin told them, "Your orders were just to get me back to where I was before I came with you to Pixie Hollow. I need to get to the _main_ camp, and I won't have time for a half-dozen explanations."

As he said this, he started walking in the direction of the main camp, which was some mile away. He was also thinking about how he would gauge how each of his men would react to the news. Much would be predictably distressed; that much was dependable. Will Scarlet and Allan o'Dale wouldn't be able to believe it immediately, but it would sinking in quick enough. Djaq, of course, would immediately want to save the life of her comrade.

But the fairies? How would his men (and woman) react to them?

He would, of course, have to answer a dozen questions, and then that would lead to the contract. His band would, of course, be absolutely incensed that he hadn't consult each and every one of them first, and then there would be apologies all around, and the job of getting Much to stop sulking, and then there would be a dozen hundred questions about the fairies – Where did they come from? Were they really magical? What could they do? How long had they been in Sherwood Forest? How could they possibly help them?

In short, it would take too much time and, by then, John would be dead. The fairies had to stay in Pixie Hollow until the time was right.

Blossom didn't like to just hang around, knowing that some one was in danger. She had had to do that when Buster's cousin was killed. "No, I am coming," she answered determinately, "We'll stay out of sight..." she offered, "In you pocket. With clothes like that how could they see us?"

Buster nodded. "Yeah, good idea," he grinned, "Pleeeeeease!?" He was on the verge of falling onto his knees!

Robin looked down at the two fairy children with the feeling of a harassed parent denying his children candy. He gave a long, drawn-out sigh, and then said, "I suppose. Climb in, and let's go."

Blossom gave a squeal of delight as she took Robin's right pocket. "You get the left one!" she yelled to her friend.

Buster groaned. He climbed in to the pocket and nearly fell out. He braced himself over the worn hole inside the pocket. _Why does Blossom ALWAYS get the best? _he thought angrily to himself. "Wow, it's dark in here!" He shouted up just to annoy his "carriage". He stifled a laugh by a fit of coughs. "It's dusty, too!"

"Sorry," Robin apologize with a chuckle, "I thought I needed to empty my pockets."

Within twenty minutes he reached the main camp. Much was the first one on his feet as he ran to greet his former master.

"Robin! What took you so long? Where's the food?" he asked, and then looked about breifly before querying, "Where's Little John?"

"That's the problem," Robin replied solemnly, "Little John's been captured."

"What?"

"How could they possibly capture that great … man?" Allan asked in disbelief. Will and Djaq were silent as they got up from the fire to join the other three.

"They must have ganged up on him," Robin explained his theory, "That's the only possible way they could have done it."

"When do we leave?" Djaq asked, knowing that they were going to attempt a rescue.

"As soon as night falls," Robin told them, "Which should be in about seven hours. Get ready."

Blossom shifted positions and sighed. _7 hours?!_ She thought in dis belief. _I am not going to forgive him for this. OW! My wings are going to sleep!!!_

Buster bounced as he nearly fell through th hole once more. _ACK!! _He thought. _7 hours?? Does no human know that I can't stay still that long?? I'll make the Fliken bigger!!!_

--

Once they had reached the castle gates, Robin, Will, and Allan stopped when they saw that the castle was completely surrounded with guards – which was why most rescues were carried out in the daytime, when the guard was weaker.

Allan and Will gave a small groan of annoyance and looked at Robin, who was grinning.

"Gents," he said, "I haven't exactly told you everything that happened today. Allow me to introduce a couple new friends of mine." Unbuttoning his pockets, he called, "Blossom! Buster! Come on out now."

Blossom dashed out and would have fallen if it weren't for Buster rushing over to hit her wings. "Thanks, Buster," she groaned, "Hi, I am Blossom and this is-"

"-Buster." Buster hated to have people speak for him. "I'll do the fat one!" he grinned as he started towards the guards just to fell Blossom grab his wings and pull him back. "What?" he asked, annoyed.

"Robby hasn't given the word yet," Blossom explained, "Dork." She let go of his wings and nearly laughed as Buster started to beg Robin to let him go.

Robin shook his head resolutely. "No, not yet," he told them, "I just need you to check and see if the kitchen door is guarded. If it isn't, let us know, and you can unlock it for us, Buster – and do try not to be seen, and _don't_ call me Robby."

Will and Allan looked at the two mythical creatures in disbelief, until Robin said, "Will, Allan, I need you to be ready. I'll explain everything later."

"Alright," Will nodded, as Allan answered dumbly, "Yeah."

Buster gasped. "You mean we aren't gonna annoy the dumb guards?" He didn't like this idea at all.

Blossom gave Buster a playful punch in the shoulder. "Duh." She turned to Robin and gave a salute. "Aye sir," she told him, "Will do!"

She dashed off with Buster at her heels. They stopped at the kitchen door. "Guards!" she gasped, "We gotta go warn Robin." She started back, unaware that Buster had stayed behind.

"Guards...." Buster mimicked a deep voice, "The Sheriff wants you." He frowned as the guard turned to the shadow opposite of him and asked, "And leave the door unguarded?"

Buster rolled his eyes. "No ... I've got more on the way." He smiled in satisfaction as the guard rushed away. He flew back to Robin and grinned. "No guards!"

Blossom frowned. "What did you do?" she asked him, an inch from his face, in a deathly tone.

Buster stopped grinning. "Nothing.." he squeaked. He knew that when Blossom got like this, it was best just to stay out of firing range.

"Buster," Robin asked in a calmer tone than Blossom's, but just as demanding, "_What did you do_?"

"With respect, Robin," Allan spoke up, "But shouldn't we not look a gift horse in the mouth?"

Robin looked at Allan, then gave Buster one last glare before replying, "Alright. Let's go. Buster, you go and unlock the door."

Buster nodded. "I knew I forgot something...." He dashed over the wall and through the hall, almost banging into some black-haired guy, but managed to avoid him. He slipped into the lock and push in the lock's mechanism. He dashed out as the door opened. "Is that okay?"

Blossom frowned. "Fine," she said as she squeezed past Allan and Will's shoulders, "Just perfect..."

Once everybody was in, Robin snuck through the empty kitchen and down the stone corridor to the closed stairwell that led down to the dungeons.

"Blossom," he whispered to the fairy on his right, "Can you cast a sleeping charm?"

Blossom nodded. "Duh, every doctor must learn," she laughed, "Who do you want me to put to sleep?"

Buster smiled. "Not me...." he laughed, "You can't. I got a brain that works at any time of day. I can go for weeks without sleep," he bragged.

Blossom frowned as her light turned red once more. "You wanna put that to the test, mister know-it-all?" she dared him.

Buster quickly shook his head. "No...." he mumbled, "Plus, Robin needs me." he grinned.

"I need both of you," Robin told the quarrellings fairies, "Blossom, I want you to knock out those two guards by the dungeon door. Can you do that?"

Blossom nodded. "A peace of petal!" she grinned. She concentrated cutting out all breathing, but hers. _Fall, sleep, snooze, knock out ..._ Her thoughts soon became mumbling. A wave of blinding light shot from her finger tips and not only temporarily blinding them but they were also in a deep sleeping. "We only have an hour," she told them.

Buster frowned. How he wished he could do that … he would have to ask Queen Clarian when they got back back. He knew that this was no time to request a favor from Blossom at the moment.

"Good. Thank you, Blossom," Robin told her, "Then let's hurry."

And hurry they did. Quickly, Robin, Will and Allan ran into the dungeons, hurrying through and trying not to be seen by any of the other prisoners.

"Where is he?" Allan asked as they reached the back of the large dungeon.

"I don't know..." Robin replied, then saw the two fairies whizzing back from their own reconnaissance, "Ah. Blossom, Buster, have you found Little John?"

Blossom shook her head sadly. "Nope," she answered, "Let's look once more."

Buster rolled his eyes. "Do you always have to put the sad … effect to it?"

Blossom frown as she fished checking a second time. "Nope," she sighed completely ignoring Buster's comment.

"Then where could he be?" Will asked in bewilderment. It didn't seem like Little John to participate in a deliberate set-up.

Suddenly, they heard shouts and the clinking of armor and chain mail – they'd been discovered!

"Buster!" Robin snapped, "How did you get rid of those guards earlier?"

"I told them that the sheriff guy wanted them and that more guards would come soon," he answered, "Pretty smart, huh?"

"You sent them to the sheriff?" Robin asked incredulously, "Oh, great, now everybody in the whole castle knows we're here! Allan, Will, with me!" he ordered as he headed for the exit in the back of the underground structure.

Blossom frowned. "Wait up!" she yelled, "I can't fly that fast." She saw a large black hunk come; it followed by guards of every class. "Buster, get outta here!"

Buster nodded. "Come on." He knew that the sleeping charm took energy away from the spell's caster, so he grabbed Blossom's arm and soon caught up with the group of outlaws. "Wait up, y'all!" he yelled.

Robin grabbed one of the fairies and Will grabbed the other, and they continued running, finally reaching a small, locked door.

"Buster," Robin snapped as he released his little captive, "The lock!"

Then the three Humans, Will Scarlet still clutching Blossom, turned to face the oncoming guards, led by Robin's nemesis, Sir Guy of Gisborne.


End file.
